OU’s Annual Executive Directors Conference

At the OU’s annual Executive Directors Conference, held this year in Baltimore, Director of Community Engagement Rabbi Judah Isaacs announced that the OU will award grants of $5,000 each to five synagogues for developing “the most creative and comprehensive five-year financial plan.” Five additional OU member congregations will receive consultative services to help them implement their own five-year plans. To qualify for the awards, plans must be replicable in other synagogues. To participate, shuls must inform the OU by December 2, 2011 and file a formal proposal by January 13, 2012. Applications will be judged on creativity, sustainability, and suitability for replication for other synagogues. The winners will be announced in March, 2012.

This new program is in addition to the OU’s $150,000 challenge grant for developing approaches to make yeshiva education more affordable.

Said Steve Bramson, president of Adath Israel, Quebec, “I congratulate the OU for recognizing the power of its network and for using this network in an innovative way to address the critical funding issue and help end the downward cycle we are facing as a community. I am looking forward to seeing what my fellow shuls come up with.”